Liquid dispensing devices

ABSTRACT

A liquid supply system comprising a rotatable housing for attachment to a variable pitch fan or propeller and to rotate therewith. The housing contains a pitch-control mechanism for the fan, and a quantity of lubricating oil sealed therein. The system includes a pump for dispensing the oil to the pitch control mechanism. The pump is connected to the periphery of the housing so as to receive at its inlet, during rotation of the housing, oil under centrifugal pressure and to dispense the oil radially inwardly to a point within the housing.

United States Patent [151 McMurtry LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICES [75]Inventor: David Roberts McMurtry, Bristol,

England [73] Assignee: Rolls-Royce Limited, London,

England 221 Filed: May 4, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 250,362

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 15, 1971 Great Britain15183/71 [52] US. Cl 415/88, 184/628, 415/143, 416/157 [51] Int. Cl..F0lm 11/00, F04d 13/14, F04d 13/16 [58] Field of Search 415/89, 143, 88;417/205; 184/628; 416/157 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3,318,644 5/1967 Johnson ..415/89 Feb. 26, 1974 8/1956 Kugel et al415/89 11/1954 Gaubatz et al 415/89 Primary Examiner-Henry F. RaduazoAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Stevens, Davis, Miller &

Mosher [5 7 ABSTRACT A liquid supply system comprising a rotatablehousing for attachment to a variable pitch fan or propeller and torotate therewith. The housing contains a pitch control mechanism for thefan, and a quantity of lubricating oil sealed therein. The systemincludes a pump for dispensing the oil to the pitch control mechanism.

The pump is connected to the periphery of the housing so as to receiveat its inlet, during rotation of the housing, oil under centrifugalpressure and to dispense the oil radially inwardly to a'point within thehousing.

8 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure 1 LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICES The presentinvention relates to a liquid supply systern.

According to the present invention there is provided a liquid supplysystem comprising a rotatable housing, means for rotating the housing, apump arrangement including a pump, means connecting the pump to thehousing, the pump connected on or within the housing so as to receiveunder centrifugal pressure a liquid contained in the housing when thehousing is rotated and to dispense the liquid to a point within thehousing.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the liquid supply systemcomprises a pump connected to the outer periphery of the rotatablehousing.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention the outer peripheryof the housing diametrically opposite the pump is locally radiallyenlarged so that during rotation of the housing centrifugal forces onthe enlargement and the liquid it contains counter-balances the pumparrangement.

An envisioned application of a liquid supply system according to theinvention is as forming part of a control system for a variable pitchfan or propeller. The control system which is completely self-containedcan be connected to the fan or propeller rotor to rotate therewith as asingle unit. The control system comprises a housing, a pump fitted on orwithin the housing, the housing containing a pitch-change mechanism anda governor for controlling the fan, and a quantity of oil forlubricating of the parts. The containment within the control system ofthe lubricating oil has the advantage over other rotatable controlsystems where the oil is supplied from a non-rotating external source inthat the attendant sealing problems in the flow connection between therotating control system and thenonrotating external source is dispensedwith. However during rotation ofa self-contained unit the oil iscentrifuged radially outwardly and a pump attempting to suck oil intoits inlet against a centrifugal pressure greater than 14.7 lbs/in on theoil would produce cavitation in the oil supply thus preventing anuninterrupted supply of oil by the pump. The present invention overcomesthis problem.

An embodiment of a liquid supply system according to the invention willnow be described, by way of example only, with reference to theaccompanying drawing which shows in part section:

A pump arrangement comprises an oil pump 11 which is attached by boltedand flanged connections 9 to the outer periphery of a rotatable housing12. The rotatable housing 12 is provided with a radially extendingflange 13 to facilitate a bolted connection to the hub of a variablepitch fan or propeller (not shown) and to rotate therewith when the fanis rotated by a first drive (not shown), the axis of rotation of thehousing and the fan being in co-axial relationship. Said boltedconnection forms a substantially oil-tight seal. The housing 12 ispartially filled with oil to approximately one-third of its volume.

The pump 11 is provided with an inlet 14 open to the interior of thehousing and an outlet 15 connected toa pipe 16 through which oil issupplied from the pump 11 to the fan pitch-change mechanism 17 (shown indiagrammatic form) and to an epicyclic bevel gear train 18.

The epicyclic bevel gear train 18 comprises a bevel gear 21 supportedfrom and rotated by a second drive 20 (shown in diagrammatic form) so asto rotate the bevel gear 22 which is supported from a bearing housing 23by ball bearings 24. The gear 22 is connected to a shaft 25 which drivesthe pump 11, the shaft rotating in a steady bearing 26 mounted in ahousing 27. A third bevel gear 28 meshes with the gear 22 and isconnected to the pitch-change mechanism 17.

The bearing housings 23 and 27 rotate with the housing 12 and togetherwith the pitch-change mechanism are mounted from the housing 12.

In operation when the housing 12 is rotated the oil is centrifugedradially outwardly to collect in the radially outer portion of thehousing. Thus the pump receives a continuous supply of oil undercentrifugal pressure through the inlet 14 and pumps the oil through theoutlet 15 and the pipe 16 towards the rotational centre of the housing.

The outer periphery of the housing diametrically opposite the pump islocally radially enlarged to form a pocket 31. During rotation of thehousing the pocket 31 and the oil it contains centrifugallycounterbalances the pump.

I claim:

1. A liquid supply system comprising a rotatable housing having acircumferential wall, means for rotating the housing, a pump arrangementincluding a pump, means connecting the pump to the circumferential wallof the housing, the pump connected to the housing so as to receive undercentrifugal pressure a liquid contained in the housing, when the housingis rotated, and said pump means having means to dispense the liquid to apoint within the housing, the periphery of the housing diametricallyopposite the pump being locally radially enlarged so that duringrotation of the housing the centrifugal forces acting on the enlargementand the liquid it contains substantially centrifugally counter-balancesthe centrifugal forces acting on the pump arrangement.

2. A liquid supply system as claimed in claim 7 in which said mountingmeans connects the pump to the outer periphery of the rotatable housing.

3. A liquid supply system as claimed in claim 1 in which the pumparrangement includes means for driving the pump.

4. A liquid supply system as claimed in claim 7 in which said means fordriving the pump comprises a rotary drive, at least one shaft and gearmeans connecting said rotary drive and said pump.

5. A liquid supply system as claimed in claim 4 in which said gear meanscomprises a differential gear.

6. A liquid supply system as claimed in claim 8 in which the peripheryof the housing diametricallly opposite the pump is locally radiallyenlarged so that during rotation of the housing the centrifugal forcesacting on the enlargement and the liquid it contains substantiallycentrifugally counter-balances the centrifugal forces acting on the pumparrangement.

7. A liquid supply system comprising an annular rotatable housing, meansfor rotating the housing, a pump arrangement including a pump, means fordriving the pump and means for mounting the pump on the annular housingso as to rotate therewith, the pump having an inlet communicating withthe interior of the housing so as to receive under centrifugal pressurea liquid contained in the housing when the housing is rotated, the

pump arrangement further including conduit means for providing acentrifugal force on the housing which connected to the pump androtatable therewith for dispensing liquid from the pump to a pointwithin the housing.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7, including means 5 substantiallycounter-balances the centrifugal forces acting on the pump arrangement.

1. A liquid supply system comprising a rotatable housing having a circumferential wall, means for rotating the housing, a pump arrangement including a pump, means connecting the pump to the circumferential wall of the housing, the pump connected to the housing so as to receive under centrifugal pressure a liquid contained in the housing, when the housing is rotated, and said pump means having means to dispense the liquid to a point within the housing, the periphery of the housing diametrically opposite the pump being locally radially enlarged so that during rotation of the housing the centrifugal forces acting on the enlargement and the liquid it contains substantially centrifugally counterbalances the centrifugal forces acting on the pump arrangement.
 2. A liquid supply system as claimed in claim 7 in which said mounting means connects the pump to the outer periphery of the rotatable housing.
 3. A liquid supply system as claimed in claim 1 in which the pump arrangement includes means for driving the pump.
 4. A liquid supply system as claimed in claim 7 in which said means for driving the pump comprises a rotary drive, at least one shaft and gear means connecting said rotary drive and said pump.
 5. A liquid supply system as claimed in claim 4 in which said gear means comprises a differential gear.
 6. A liquid supply system as claimed in claim 8 in which the periphery of the housing diametricallly opposite the pump is locally radially enlarged so that during rotation of the housing the centrifugal forces acting on the enlargement and the liquid it contains substantially centrifugally counter-balances the centrifugal forces acting on the pump arrangement.
 7. A liquid supply system comprising an annular rotatable housing, means for rotating the housing, a pump arrangement including a pump, means for driving the pump and means for mounting the pump on the annular housing so as to rotate therewith, the pump having an inlet communicating with the interior of the housing so as to receive under centrifugal pressure a liquid contained in the housing when the housing is rotated, the pump arrangement further including conduit means connected to the pump and rotatable therewith for dispensing liquid from the pump to a point within the housing.
 8. A system as claimed in claim 7, including means for providing a centrifugal force on the housing which substantially counter-balances the centrifugal forces acting on the pump arrangement. 